Poster Session 1
Category: Hypertension
Poster Session 1
Anna Madden-Rusnak, PhD (she/her/hers)
Research Scientist
Department of Women’s Health, Dell Medical School at the University of Texas at Austin
Austin, Texas, United States
Miriam J. Alvarez, PhD
Research Scientist
Department of Women’s Health, Dell Medical School at the University of Texas at Austin
Austin, Texas, United States
Alejandro Guevara, MPH
Medical Student
Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center Paul L. Foster School of Medicine
El Paso, Texas, United States
Nandini Raghuraman, MD, MSCI
Associate Professor
Washington University School of Medicine
St. Louis, Missouri, United States
George A. A. Macones, MD, MS, MSCE
Chair & Professor, Department of Women’s Health
Department of Women’s Health, Dell Medical School at the University of Texas at Austin
Austin, Texas, United States
Lorie M. Harper, MD (she/her/hers)
Associate Professor
Department of Women’s Health, Dell Medical School at the University of Texas at Austin
Austin, Texas, United States
Alison G. G. Cahill, MD, MSCI
Assoc. Dean, Translational Research; Prof, Women’s Health; Dir, Health Transformation Research Inst.
Department of Women’s Health, Dell Medical School at the University of Texas at Austin
Department of Women’s Health, Dell Medical School at the University of Texas at Austin, Texas, United States
Postpartum blood pressure (BP) trends among patients with hypertensive disorders are not well characterized. This study aimed to characterize early postpartum BP trends during the first two weeks after delivery among underserved, Spanish-speaking individuals with hypertensive disorders.
Study Design:
This prospective observational study included postpartum individuals with gestational hypertension (gHTN), preeclampsia (Pre-E), or chronic hypertension (cHTN) for remote BP monitoring. Participants self-monitored BP twice daily for 2-weeks in response to automated text message prompts, which provided real-time feedback. Daily mean BP values were analyzed using a linear mixed-effects model to assess BP control over time. Logistic regression was used to compare the proportion of participants in each diagnosis group with any elevated BP values (SBP ≥140 mmHg or DBP ≥90 mmHg).
Results:
Seventy-five individuals were enrolled, the majority of whom were Hispanic (87%), Spanish-speaking (72%), and publicly insured (88%). Diagnoses included postpartum gHTN (51%), Pre-E (40%), and cHTN (9%). Participants submitted a mean of 12 ± 8.4 BP readings. BP trends across the 14-day study period differed significantly by diagnosis for systolic BP (p < 0.001) and diastolic BP (p < 0.01). BP increased daily in cHTN patients but decreased similarly for gHTN and Pre-E. Elevated BP rates were highest in cHTN (30%), then Pre-E (27%), and gHTN (23%), though differences were not statistically significant.
Conclusion:
This pilot study found that postpartum individuals with cHTN had progressively rising BP values and higher rates of elevated BP, compared to those with hypertensive disorders of pregnancy. Unlike hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, which generally stabilize within the first week postpartum, cHTN may require extended monitoring periods beyond this period. Implementing home BP monitoring with real-time feedback could help address care gaps, particularly in high-risk Hispanic populations, as shown in other at-risk populations.